The extremists in Mindanao might capitalize on the failure of the Bangsamoro Organic Law to be ratified, Murad Ebrahim, the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said Wednesday.
He also said the Supreme Court would find the Bangsamoro Organic Law constitutional despite a petition challenging it.
A group of constitutional experts and framers has asked the high court to reject the BOL, which they believe violates the constitutional provision that allows only one organic act to establish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
While the MILF respected the views of other people and acknowledges that it was the “duty of the Supreme Court to entertain” any such petition, Ebrahim said, he was “very confident the BOL will stand the constitutionality test.”
“It has been processed many times during the negotiations, during the crafting of the law and during the passing of the law in Congress. Everybody made sure the law will be constitutional,” Ebrahim told ANC’s Headstart.
The BOL is up for a plebiscite on two dates as set by the Commission on Elections: On Jan. 21 and Feb. 6 next year.
“It will be capitalized by these extremist groups because for the meantime, when the BOL succeeded in passing Congress, they had no more justification in their campaign,” Ebrahim told ANC’s Headstart.
“[If] the BOL is not passed, they will again capitalize on its failure in order to campaign, [be] more adherent in their campaign.”
The BOL, one of the requirements under the 2014 peace agreement between the government and the MILF, seeks to install a Bangsamoro political entity in place of the ARMM. It is envisioned to grant wider self-rule to the predominantly Muslim provinces and cities.
The petition from the Philippine Constitution Association seeking a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the law is the second challenge to the landmark law.
The Province of Sulu in October also questioned the constitutionality of Republic Act 11054, or the BOL, and sought a halt order against its implementation.”‹